A brand photoshoot is a great way to show off your business and attract new clients. You can use these images to promote your business, grow your social media following and even share them on your website.

But before you book a photographer, there are a few things you should do first. Here are my top tips for creating a mood board or brand image gallery and preparing for your first brand photoshoot:

Create a mood board or brand image gallery

A mood board is a collection of images that represent the look and feel of your business. It's like an inspiration board for the style of photography you want for your shoot. For example, if you're after editorial-style photos, then look at other brands that have used this type of imagery in their social media posts and website design. I highly recommend using Pinterest to get your creative juices flowing.

Plan outfits that are consistent with your brand's story and style

It's important that you feel comfortable and confident in your outfit choices, but it's just as important to keep in mind how your clothes will help tell the story of your brand.

The first thing to consider when choosing an outfit is whether or not it fits with the overall look and feel of your brand's identity. In other words, does it fit with the way you want people to think about you?

Once you've made sure that everything fits within the scope of your brand's identity, consider which pieces are going to make sense for each individual shoot (if there are multiple shoots scheduled). An important point here is to think about how the images will be used in the future as that may dictate what you want to wear.

It can be really helpful to look at other brands' Instagram accounts before planning an outfit for yourself — see what colours they tend to use and how they style their clothes in different situations (e.g., how do they style their hats when they go hiking?).

Choose a brand photographer that makes you feel confident

When it comes to choosing a photographer, it’s important to find someone who makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera. If you don’t feel comfortable with your photographer, then it might show up in your photos. Take some time to interview photographers before booking one, so that you can ensure they have experience working with brands like yours and know how to capture images that will represent your business well.

If you’re in the Okanagan area, I highly recommend Wanderline Photography. The owner, April, made me feel extremely confident in our branding session and I was laughing the whole time. The photos are so genuine and candid, I was so happy with how they turned out!